Winnipeg has this amazing ability to breed musicians and great bands. On The Girth’s debut album, they prove themselves as incredibly talented local musicians that have loads of fun with music. This quality shines through on this release, and the result is one of the most unique records released last year. Messy men, pretentious douche bags and underwater living are some of the hilarious stories/issues addressed on this gem. The delivery is straightforward but comes off with an amazing laid-back fun vibe. This album will translate incredibly well to a live setting, and coupled with the Girth’s live show, some good times will be had when these guys hit the stage. “Seriously Not Serious” demonstrates the feel you get from the entire album, as Steve Basham sings “I’m at my best when I’m a mess and art’s an afterthought.” The Girth do not take themselves too seriously and as a result we get an album that is immensely entertaining in its catchiness and hilarity. Highlights “Messy Man” and “I’ll Cut You,” the former with its goofy voice and the latter with its awesomeness, are great examples of the storytelling and songwriting that make this local act one to check out. (Independent, thegirth.bandcamp.com) Scott Wolfe